Water skiing apparatus



June 18, 1968 F. P. RUCK 3,388,908

WATER SKIING APPARATUS Filed NOV. 20 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet l r 8.2 62 m vzuron: a &.s FERDINAND Puck,

VII/l/l/l/l/l/l/l/z 7 I28 62 W We 2 H15 9111a may June 18, 1968 F. P. RUCK WATER SKIING APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2,

Filed Nov. 20 1964 lN/ENTOR: FERDIA/fl/VD P. RucK, 16.? W

H15 ATTORNEY United States Patent 0 3,388,908 WATER SKIING APPARATUS Ferdinand P. Ruck, 9776 Bi Bend Road, St. Louis County, Mo. 63122 Filed Nov. 20, 1964, Ser. No. 412,808 2 Claims (Cl. 272-1) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE For adults and children, comprising three organizations of elements that may be assembled and dismantled at a water site. Included are a rider-supporting assembly in simulated horse form, and two similar combined pontoon and ski assemblies. Rein-actuatable steering mechanism is provided, said mechanism including means for attachment of the apparatus to the tow line of a motor boat. Release of said reins by a rider, will automatically and instantaneously effect disconnection of the apparatus and tow line. Separate footrests for adults and children are included.

Generally the present invention relates to a device for use in water sports, and more particularly, relates to a novel apparatus for water skiing.

The primary object of the invention is to provide an apparatus adapted to facilitate enjoyment of Water skiing :by children as well as adults.

Another object of the invention is to provide a skiing apparatus that incorporates simple means for its attachment to the tow line of a motor boat or the like, said means being under the control of the rider, and being adapted to automatically effect release of the tow line at the will of the rider.

A further object of the invention is to provide an apparatus that incorporates means for steering or guiding the travel thereof without requiring any body movements except manual ones on the part of the rider. In other words as will appear, the passenger or rider can control all movements of the apparatus while in a seated position thereon, and Without requiring any shifting of weight or other bodily movements except manual ones.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a skiing apparatus that is light in weight but nevertheless sturdy enough to support any rider whose Weight would be less than four hundred pounds.

For ease of transportation to and from a water site, the apparatus of the invention may be dismantled quickly into three major organizations of elements, these being what will be termed a main or rider supporting assembly, and a pair of identical pontoon and ski assemblies attachable to and separable from said main assembly as Will appear.

The rider supporting assembly includes as its major component, a body of high density foamed polystyrene material molded about a skeleton frame of tubular members that are preferably, but not necessarily, fabricated of aluminum. In the illustrated and preferable embodiment of the instant invention, said rider supporting body is molded in the form of a pony or a horse. The lower extremities of four tubular members included in the frame are secured to a pair of adult foot rests, said pair of foot rests being in transversely spaced relationship, and each of them being attached to two of said four tubular members. Each of these four tubular members extends through one of the leg portions of the molded horse body aforesaid, and are are integrated at their upper ends with a them extend across a longitudinal crotch recess provided in said body intremediate the front and rear leg portions thereof.

The means provided for controlling the actions of the apparatus are associated with an elongated operating shaft that extends longitudinally in the crotch recess aforesaid, and is rotatably supported intermediate its ends by a pair of spaced hanger straps that are each dependingly affixed to one of said central portions of the main framework tubes.

Said means include: a steering plate afiixed to the forward end portion of the operating shaft; a steering post having its lower end pivotally connected to the forward extremity of said shaft; reins secured to opposite sides of the upper end of said steering post, said reins being trained over a pair of oppositely mounted sheave elements; a pair of parallel ski members that extend forwardly and rearwardly beyond said foot-rest members and'are spaced laterally therefrom; a pair of steering rods each having a pivotal connection at its upper end with said steering plate, and at its lower end with one of said ski members, and other complemental elements as will appear. The ski members also have pivotal connections with the pontoon and ski assemblies mentioned hereinabove, and these pivotal connection arrangements include means for limiting tilting action of the skis responsive to movements of the steering rod.

A pair of horizontally spaced pontoons serve to maintain the apparatus afloat at all times, it being of course understood that when said apparatus is being towed, the pontoons will rise above the water level and the apparatus will ride on and be supported by the ski members. The pontoon and ski assemblies also include footrests for children, and means are provided for releasably connecting said assemblies to the rider supporting assembly.

The invention has been illustrated on two sheets of drawings that accompany this specification, and a more comprehensive understanding of the features and advantages provided by said invention will be apparent from the detailed description that follows with reference to said drawings, wherein:

pair of longitudinally spaced transverse tubes that will FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of the skiing apparatus incorporating the principles of the present invention, portions being broken away to illustrate some of the structural details;

FIGURE 2 is a front elevational view of said apparatus;

FIGURE 3 is a typical fragmentary vertical sectional view on an enlarged scale, illustrating the means for securement of adult foot rests to the lower extremities of tubular elements;

FIGURES 4 and 5 are fragmentary sectional views on an enlarged scale, illustrating structural details relatively to one of the ski elements of the apparatus;

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary view, partly in section and on a slightly further enlarged scale, taken on the line 66 of FIGURE 5;

FIGURE 7 is a fragmentary view, partly in section, taken on the line 77 of FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 8 is a View similar to FIGURE 7 illustrating a tilted position of an included ski element;

FIGURE 9 is a fragmentary enlarged vertical sectional view taken transversely through the front main tube of the framework that supports the molded horse body, the contours of adjacent portions of said body being shown in broken lines;

FIGURE 10 is a view similar to FIGURE 9 relatively the rear main tube of said framework;

FIGURE 11 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view taken on the lines 11-11 of FIGURES 9 and 10;

FIGURE 12 is an enlarged elevational view illustrating a sheave mounting arrangement;

FIGURE 13 is a top plan view of the FIGURE 12 arrangement; and

FIGURE 14 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view on an enlarged scale, illustrating means for releasably securing telescopic tubing of the invention.

In FIGURES 1 and 2, the complete apparatus embodying the principles of the present invention is indicated at 16, and is comprised of three major organizations of elements, namely a rider supporting assembly 18, and a pair of pontoon and ski assemblies 20.

The assembly 18 includes a main body 22 that is molded about and encloses a skeleton framework designated as a whole by the numeral 24. The body 22 is comprised of high density foamed polystyrene, and is preferably cast in the form of a horse having a head portion 25, a neck portion 26, a seat portion 28, front leg portions 30, rear leg portions 32, and in the interest of descriptive clarity hereinafter, what will be termed a flat front face portion 36.

The framework 24 is of course assembled prior to having the foamed polystyrene cast thereabout, and is comprised of a plurality of tubular components welded together wherever they abut. It is not deemed necessary to describe herein each component thereof, inasmuch as the framework 24 is believed to be adequately illustrated. However in the interest of clarity in the description below, the main transverse front tube of said framework is designated 38, the main transverse rear tube is designated 40, the front leg tubes are designated 42, the rear leg tubes are designated 44, the tubes about which the head and neck portions are formed are designated 46, and a pair of sheave supporting tubes supported from said tubes 46 are designated 47.

Numeral 48 indicates an operating shaft that extends longitudinally of the horse body 22, and is rotatably supported in the crotch recess 49 thereof. As best seen in FIGURES 1 and 11, the shaft 48 projects forwardly beyond the front face portion 36 of the horse body, and is supported intermediate its ends by means of hanger straps 50 that are welded as shown, or otherwise secured to the central portions 51 of the main transverse tubes 38 and 40. As best seen in FIGURES 9 and 10, the central portions 51 of said main tubes extend across the crotch recess 49. And as shown particularly in FIGURE 11, retainer pins 52 are pressfitted into the shaft 48 to abut against the hanger straps 50, whereby to obviate forward movements of said shaft during rotary movements thereof. Welded to the lower extremity of each front leg tube 42 and each rear leg tube 44 is a rectangular base plate 53.

The assembly 18 also includes a pair of spaced, parallel adult footrests 54 each having an arcuate upturned front end portion 56. As best seen in FIGURE 3, the footrests 54 are secured to the framework tubes 42 or 44 by means of screws 58 that pass through the plates 53 and into.

engagement with said footrests. It should be apparent that the footrests 54 are thus rigid with the framework 24 and consequently with the horse body 22.

As noted above, the apparatus 16 also includes a pair of similar pontoon and ski assemblies generally designated 20. Each assembly 20, as will be explained in more detail hereinafter, is removably supported from the framework 24 and the horse body, and includes a pontoon 60, a ski element 62, a front support arm 64, and a rear support arm 66. The pontoons 60 are also formed of foamed polystyrene, and are preferably, but not necessarily, cylindrical in contour. The skis 62 are each provided with a rudder 68, and as shown, lie in a plane below that of the footrests 54.

The support arms 64 and 66 are similar and generally tubular, being formed of aluminum material to include a horizontal segment 70 merging at its outer end into a downwardly extending angularly disposed segment 72, the latter merging into a further downwardly extending vertical segment 74.

The pontoons 60 are provided with diametrically opposed reinforcing strips 76 that are longitudinally approximately co-extensive therewith. Nut and bolt assemblies 78 secure the strips 76 to the pontoon body, the intermediate ones of said assemblies serving also to secure the pontoons to the angular segments 72 0f the support arms 64 and 66. It should of course be understood that other appropriate means may be employed for rigidly afiixing said pontoons t0 the arm segments 72 aforesaid.

With attention directed particularly to FIGURES 4 through 6, the vertical tubular segments 74 of the support arms each terminate at the bottom in a flattened extremity 80, that has a pivotal connection 82 with a bracket 84 secured to the ski element 62 by screws 86 as shown, or otherwise. The brackets 84 are mounted transversely of the ski elements as shown, and each flattened extremity is provided with a first angular bottom edge 88 and a second angular bottom edge 90, for reasons to be explained below. As shown in FIGURES 1 and 2, brace members 92 that have their opposite ends secured to a front arm support 64 and one of the pontoons 60 respectively, serve to strengthen and stabilize the ski and pontoon assemblies. Similar braces may be provided for the rear arm supports 66, if desired.

As shown particularly in FIGURES 9 through 11, the horizontal arm segments 70 have a sliding or telescopic fit within the main tubes 38 and 40 of the framework 24. Means are provided for releasably locking the telescoped segments 70 of the front support arms 64 to the front main tube 38. To this end, with attention directed also to FIGURE 14, a pair of spaced circular openings 94 is provided in said tube. Furthermore, a circular opening 96 is formed in each segment 70 of the front support arms, the openings 96 being designed to register with the openings 94 in consequence of the proper telescopic dispositioning of the segments 70, as is understood.

Internally threaded ferrules 98 are welded at their inner ends to the main tube 38 in alignment with the openings 94. With the openings 94 and 96 in registry, the threaded shank 100 of a capscrew 102 may be advanced through said registered openings into engagement with the opposed inner periphery of a segment 70, as clearly shown in FIGURE 11. Circular recesses 104 are formed in the front face portion of the horse body, so that when the screws 102 have been advanced to locking positions, their heads 106 will seat in said recesses.

The mechanism whereby the apparatus 16 may be steered and the actions thereof may be varied, will now be described. As previously noted, the forward end of the operating shaft 48 projects beyond the front face portion 36 of the horse body 22. A vertical guide plate 108 of the configuration shown in FIGURE 2, is provided with a circular opening 110 through which the projecting forward end portion of the shaft 48 extends, said plate being welded to said shaft as suggested at 112 in FIGURE 11. A pair of transversely spaced holes 114 formed in the upper end portion of the plate 108, each adapted to receive the normally bent upper extremity 116 of one of a pair of guide rods 118, cotter pins 120 serving to retain said extremities in place.

As shown in FIGURE 2, the guide rods 118 extend angularly downwardly from the guide plate 108 to the ski elements 62, and as best seen in FIGURE 4, terminate in normally bent lower extremities 122. An angular bracket 123 is secured to each ski element 62, said brackets being disposed on the longitudinal centerline of each ski as seen in FIGURE 7. Each bracket 123 includes a horizontal leg segment 124 and a vertical leg segment 126. The segments 124 are preferably secured to the skis by screws 128, and the vertical leg segemnts 126 are each provided with a hole 130 through which the lower extremity 122 of one of the guide rods extends. Cotter pins 132 serve to retain the extremities in place.

It should thus be apparent that each guide rod 118 has a pivotal connection at its upper end with the guide plate 108, and at its lower end with one of the ski elements 62. Consequently, as viewed in FIGURE 2, when the shaft 48 is caused to rotate in a clockwise direction, the left hand edges of both ski elements 62 will be elevated, whereas the right hand edges thereof will be lowered as shown in FIGURE 8. Conversely, when the shaft 48 is caused to rotate in a counterclockwise direction, the right hand edges of both ski elements will be elevated, whereas the left hand edges thereof will be lowered.

It is to be observed at this point, that the provision of the angular lower edges 88 and 90 on the flattened extremities 80 of the front and rear support arm segments 74, limits the tilting action of the ski elements, and constitutes a safety feature, particularly when the steering mechanism is being manipulated by a child.

Reverting now to FIGURE 11, numeral 134 indicates a hinge member aflixed to the forward extremity of the operating shaft 48, numeral 136 indicates a complemental hinge member affixed to the lower end of a tubular steering post 138, and numeral 140 designates a hinge pin that connects the hinge members aforesaid. It should be observed that in consequence of the illustrated hinge arrangement, the steering post 138 is free to swing forwardly away from the guide plate 108. However, the shoulder 142 of the hinge member 134 limits the rearward travel of said post whereby contact thereof with said guide plate is obviated.

Rigidly secured to the lower end portion of the steering post 138 and the hinge member 136, is an angular hook element 144 including an upstanding slightly rearwardly extending leg segment 146. A pair of eye elements 148 is rigidly secured to opposite sides of the upper end portion of the steering post 138, each eye element having appropriately secured thereto one end of a nylon rope 150 that constitutes the reins wherewith the rider of the apparatus 16 can control the action thereof while seated on the portion 28 of the horse body 22. The reins 150 are in the form of a loop as is understood, and their forward segments 152 are trained over a pair of sheaves 154 for ease of manipulation, and to obviate frictional engagement of them with the neck portion 26 of the horse body.

In other words the sheaves 154 are appropriately supported from the framework 24, but are disposed exteriorly of the horse body neck portion 26 so that they are freely rotatable when the reins 150 are manipulated. The mounting arrangement is illustrated in FIGURES 12 and 13. There it is seen that each sheave 154 is rotatable about a journal pin 156 that extends from an upper strap element 158 to a lower strap element 160, with the sheave 154 disposed therebetween. The inner end portions of both strap elements extend into the neck portion of the horse body, and are welded, as suggested at 162, to one of the tubes 47 of the framework 24. The innermost ends of the tubes 47 in turn are welded, as suggested at 164, to the components 46 of said framework.

The strap elements 158 and 160 are similar in con figuration as should be apparent from an inspection of FIGURES 12 and 13, except that the upper straps 158 are formed to include an integral extension 166 that terminates in a downturned guard flange 168. The flanges 168 depend in close proximity to the peripheries of the sheaves 154, and serve to obviate displacement of the rein segments 152 from the grooves of said sheaves.

In FIGURE 1, a tow line leading from a motor boat or the like (not shown) is designated TL. The water line is indicated at WL in FIGURES l and 2. The Weight distribution of the apparatus 16 is such that when it is at rest as illustrated, the level of the water line WL corresponds approximately with the longitudinal centerlines of the pontoons 60.

In view of the foregoing description and the drawings, it is believed that a comprehensive disclosure of the invention has been presented, and it is not deemed necessary to enter into a lengthy description with respect to the operation thereof. However, a brief explanation of some of the features will be given.

Thus it should be apparent that dismantling of the apparatus into said three major organizations of elements is simple, and may be accomplished by withdrawal of the locking screws 102 as suggested in FIGURE 14, followed by removal of the cotter pins 126 or 132.

Persons intending to ride the apparatus 16 would of course mount the horse body so to speak from the rear. Small children would be lifted into riding position. Adults and children of adult stature could mount the horse body in customary fashion with one foot positioned on a footrest 54, as should be understod. Once seated comfortably on the portion 28 of said body, the rider would firmly grasp the reins 150, whereupon the end of a tow line TL would be appropriately attached to the hook element 144 as suggested in FIGURE 1. Adults brace themselves by means of the footrests 54. Children whose legs could not reach said footrests, would employ the horizontal segments of the front arm supports 64 as footrests. When the apparatus 16 has risen responsive to the forward speed engendered via the tow line, said apparatus would of course be propelled along the surface of the water via the ski elements 62, as is well understood by anyone familiar with the sport of water skiing.

The disposition of the sheaves 154 relatively to the steering post 138 as best seen in FIGURE 2, enables the rider to control tiltings of the ski elements 62 via the reins 150 with ease. It should of course be apparent that tilted dispositions of said ski elements may be varied, being limited only by the angular edge portions 88 and of the support arm segments 74 for safety reasons.

The merit of the automatic tow line release arrangement should at once he apparent. In other words, if at any time during the forward travel of the apparatus in skiing fashion, a rider should become frightened for any reason or should lose his or her balance, it would only be necessary to let go of the reins 150. Such action would instantaneously cause the steering post 138 toswing forwardly and downwardly about the hinge pin 140, thus automatically freeing the apparatus 16 from the attaching end of the tow line TW.

The invention obviously admits of some modifications, and is therefore not to be limited to the precise structural details illustrated and described, the purview thereof being limited only by the scope of the claims hereunto appended.

What I claim is:

1. In a water skiing apparatus, in combination: a rider supporting assembly, and a pair of similar pontoon and ski assemblies each attachable to and separable from said rider assembly, said rider supporting assembly including:

a plastic body in the form of a horse having a head portion, a neck portion, a seat portion, a pair of front and a pair of rear leg portions, a flat front face portion, and a longitudianl crotch recess portion molded about a framework of integrated tubular members; said framework including a main transverse front tube and a main transverse rear tube;

a pair of spaced circular openings in the main transverse front tube;

a pair of transversely spaced parallel adult footrests having arcuate upturned front end portions each secured to said framework immediately below one front and one rear leg portion of the horse body;

an elongated operating shaft rotatably supported in said crotch recess portion, the forward end portion of said shaft projecting beyond said front face portion of the horse body; and

steering mechanism associated with said projecting end portion of the operating shaft, said mechanism including means for the releasable attachment of a towline for propelling the apparatus;

said pontoon and ski assemblies each including:

an elongated pontoon of plastic material;

longitudinally spaced front and rear support arms for the pontoon, each of said arms being formed to include a horizontal segment merging at its outer end into a downwardly extending angularly disposed segment that merges into a further downwardly extending vertical segment, the horizontal segment of said front support arm serving as a footrest for a child in the assembled status of the apparatus, the inner end portion of the front support arm horizontal segment having a telescopic fit within the main transverse front tube of said framework, the inner end portion of the rear support arm horizontal segment having a telescopic fit within the main transverse rear tube of said framework, said angularly disposed segments of both arms having the pontoon rigidly secured thereto, said vertical segments of both arms terminating in a flattened extremity having opposed angular bottom edges;

a circular opening formed in said front support arm adjacent the inner end thereof;

a ski element having a rudder depending from the rear end portion thereof;

longitudinally spaced pivot means connecting the ski element to the flattened extremity of both support arms whereby the ski element may tilt about said ivot means, said angular bottom edges of the flattened extremities serving to limit the tilting action; and

an angular bracket secured to the ski element forwardly of the front support arm, said bracket including a vertical leg segment having a hole formed therein adjacent the upper end thereof;

and means for releasably locking the pontoon and ski assemblies to said rider supporting body, said means comprising:

a pair of transversely spaced internally threaded ferrules each welded to said main front tube of the framework in alignment with one of the circular openings therein;

a pair of capscrews each having a head and a threaded shank in engagement with one of said ferrules; and

a circular recess formed in the front face portion of the horse body about the outer end of each ferrule for seating the heads of said cap screws after the shank portions thereof have been advanced through the telescopically aligned circular openings in the main front transverse tube of the framework, and the c rcular openings in the inner end portions of the horizontal segments of said front support arms.

2. In a water skiing apparatus, the combination recited in claim 1 wherein the steering mechanism associated Cal with said forward end portion of the operating shaft includes:

a first hinge member afiixed to the forward extremity of said shaft;

a vertically disposed steering post having a second complemental hinge member affixed to the lower end thereof, said hinge members being connected by a hinge pin;

a pair of eye elements rigidly secured to opposite sides of the upper end portion of the steering post;

reins in the form of a loop having its opposite ends each secured to one of said eye elements;

a pair of transversely spaced horizontally disposed sheaves each suppored from said framework exteriorly of the neck porion of the horse body, each sheave having a forward segmen of said reins trained thereover;

guard means obviating displacement of said segments from the grooves of said sheaves;

a vertically disposed guide plate having its lower portion rigidly secured to the operating shaf between said first hinge member and the front face portion of the horse body;

a pair of transversely spaced holes formed in the upper end portion of said guide plate;

a pair of guide rods each having a pivotal connection at its upper end via one of said holes in the guide plate, and being adapted to have a pivotal connection at its lower end via the hole formed in the angular bracket secured to one of the ski elements; and

an angular hook element rigid with and projecting forwardly from the lower end of the steering post and said second hinge member.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 143,090 9/1873 Mott 28021 1,195,410 8/1916 Stevens 28017 1,718,637 6/1929 De Pento 272-1 1,770,078 7/ 1930 Landerdahl 28017 2,532,887 12/1950 Bor 28021 2,738,199 3/1956 Rand 272--52 X 2,915,311 12/1959 Delano 272-79 X 2,997,299 8/ 1961 Wilkins 272-1 3,042,944 7/1962 Basey et al 931O 3,120,833 2/ 1964 Curelich 272-1 X 3,156,935 11/1964 Long 9-3 l0 ANTON O. OECHSLE, Primary Examiner.

RICHARD c. PINKHAM, Examiner.

A. W. KRAMER, Assistant Examiner. 

